Plastic shoe heel



Dec. 2, 1969 DE FELJCE 3,481,053

' EEL Filed Nov. 4, 1968 a I INVENTO AMEDIO FELICE BY v ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent O 3,481,053 PLASTIC SHOE HEEL Amedio P. De Felice, 251Florence St., Leominster, Mass. 01453 Filed Nov. 4, 1968, Ser. No.773,124 Int. Cl. A43b 21/20 US. C]. 36-36 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE each pin having a pair of diametrically opposed relativelysoft fins running along the same in a general longitudinal direction,and each of the recesses being provided with a pair of spaced, annularribs at the interior thereof, the fins on the pins having their edgesspaced apart a greater distance than the internal diameter of said ribs,forming mechanical locking means for the lift to the main body of theheel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Plastic shoe heels particularly for ladiesshoes have long been made, but it has always been a problem to providelifts therefor which are adequately secured thereto for the preventionof accidental displacement, especially where it is desired to secure thelift to the heel without the use of adhesives.

The prior art has provided a heel with a plurality of recesses and alift with a plurality of corresponding pins which are slightly tapering,the idea being to frictionally hold the pins in the recesses. Due to thefact that the plastic molded material shrinks and more especiallybecause the lift is made of a less rigid material than the main body ofthe heel, the shrinkage is different in the two pieces. This makes itvery difficult to hold tolerances to such a degree that the lift iseasily applied to the heel by means of the pins, and still firmly holds.Where the lift is able to closely engage the corresponding he'el surfaceas is of course desirable, the pins in most cases will not adequatelyhold. In cases where the pins hold adequately, it is difficult to fullyseat the lift. In large part, this is because in some instances the pinsmay have a firmly engaging contact with its recess at one portion onlythereof, or even no engagement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In this invention the lift is molded of softermaterial than the heel body and is provided with a plurality of pins,preferably three, arranged as for instance at the corners of anisosceles triangle, each pin having a pair of longitudinal diametricallyopposed relatively small sharp edged fins extending therefrom from thebase of the pin to or adjacent to the free end thereof.

The heel body is molded of harder material and has molded therein aseries of recesses or receptacles, one for each pin. In each of theserecesses or receptacles there is provided a pair of inwardly directedannular ridges or ribs of rounded contour and section, these ridges orribs being located in planes parallel to the face of the heel receivingthe lift.

The pins are provided with a slight clearance so that they easily fitwithin the recesses but the fins thereon are deformed by the annularribs, as the pins enter .the recesses. The fins are thus reduced intotal diameter, and then expand behind the annular ribs toward theinterior Wall of the respective recess to form four mechanical lockingmeans for each pin. This means that where there "ice are three pins,there are twelve mechanical locks between the lift and the heel. It isof course to be noted that there may be as many pins in correspondingrecesses in the respective heel body as may be found desirable, butexperience has shown that three is usually sufficient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DMWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in side elevationillustrating a form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a lift illustrating the pins thereon;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation illustrating the lift and one of its pinson an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the heel body showing one of the recessestherein to receive the pin on the lift as shown in FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view looking in the direction of arrow 5 in FIG. 3.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION As shown in FIG. 1 the heelconsists of two parts, the main body 10 and the lift 12. The lift has aseries of outstanding pins 14 thereon, these being received in recesses16 in the main body 10 for frictionally securing the lift to the heel.The heel body 10 is molded of a suitable plastic and the lift 12 ismolded of another but different suitable plastic of a softer nature aswill be well recognized by those familiar with the art since the lift isdesired to absorb shock.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that each of the pins 14is slightly tapered, this shape aiding in the entrance of the narrowfree ends as for instance at 18 of the pins 14 into the recesses 16 inthe heel body portion 10. These recesses may be slightly enlarged at theentrance portion thereof as at 20 to further assist in centering thepins. There are of course more than one of these pins, preferably three,located in the positions shown in FIG. 2 where there are two pinsadjacent the breast line 22 and one pin at the rear portion of the heelat 24. There may of course be as many pins and corresponding recesses asmay be necessary.

Longitudinally located along diametrically opposite sides of each pin 14are a pair of fins indicated at 26, 26. Theseribs are essentially thesame and are preferably relatively sharply edged as is illustrated inFIG. 5 It will be seen that these fins are therefore triangular insection, and While they are shown to be diametrically opposed, thisparticular arrangement is of course not essential in all cases.

It will be noted from FIG. 2 that the fins 26 are shown as locateddiametrically opposite each other in each instance and that the two finson each of the two pins adjacent the breast line 22 are located at anappropriate fortyfive degree angle with respect to said breast line;whereas a plane passing through the two fins 26 on the pin 14 close tothe rear of the heel is generally parallel to the breast line 22. Thisarrangement provides that the fins point in different directions.

Referring now to FIG. 4 where one of the recesses to receive one of thepins is shown in detail, it will be seen that the same has alongitudinal dimension greater than that of the respective pin so as toprovide for fully seating the pin in the recess. Also the overalldiameter at any point in the recess is very slightly greater than thediameter at the corresponding point on the pin 14. This makes for easyassembly of the pins in the recesses in spite of different shrinkage ofthe two different materials.

Each recess in the heel body 10 is provided with at least two interiorannular ribs or ridges 28 and 30. These are spaced apart and each onelies in a plane parallel to the surface 32 which is usually flat andreceives in contacting relationship the upper surface 34 of the lift 12.The crosssectional shape of the annular ribs at 28 and 30 is preferablysmooth and rounded.

With the above construction in mind, it will be seen that the lift 12 iseasily applied to the heel body 10. The proportions of the pins to therecesses is such that the pins easily enter the recesses, but when thefins 26 engage the annular ribs 28 and 30 they are deformed inwardlywith respect thereto, i.e., the overall diameter from sharp edge tosharp edge of the longitudinal fins 26 is reduced at any particularincrement thereof which contacts a rib 28 or 30. However, upon passingthe respective annular rib 28 or 30, the relatively soft material of thefins 26, 26 expands into its normal position and when the lift is seatedwith surface 34 against surface 32 of the heel body, the proportions aresuch that the material of each of the fins is expanded behind (in anupward direction in FIG. 4) to the respective annular rib. Thistherefore forms four mechanical locks between each pin and each recess,there being two diametrically opposed locks for each of the annular ribs28 and 30.

It will be seen that the construction provided by this invention insuresthat the lifts shall be received in the exact location called for andthat they are very easy to assemble, the narrow ends of the pins easilyentering the oversize recesses. At the same time, mechanical locks areformed between the respective pins and their recesses, but frictionalcontact between the remainder of the surfaces of the pins is notdepended upon to secure the pins in position, and therefore they have toclosely contact for a good securement. This insures a completepenetration of each pin into its respective recess as well as positiveholding thereof when seated.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A heel construction comprising a molded plastic heel member, a liftmember therefor, interengaging means between the lift and the heelmembers securing the lift member in position on the heel member, saidinterengaging means comprising a pin of resilient material on one memberand a cooperating recess in the other member,

said recess having a slightly larger cross section than said 4 pin atthe same position when said lift is secured to said heel member, arelatively longitudinal extending deformable fin on the pin and acooperating protruding element in the recess, said fin being deformableby the element as the lift is attached to the heel by forcing the pin inthe recess and then expanding behind the element to mechanically lockingthe lift member to the heel member.

2. The heel construction of claim 1 wherein the pin is provided with apair of outstanding fins.

3. The heel construction of claim 1 wherein the pin is provided with apair of diametrically opposed outstanding fins.

4. The heel construction of claim 1 wherein the protruding element inthe recess comprises an annular rib extending inwardly from the interiorwall of the recess.

5. The heel construction of claim 1 wherein the protruding element inthe recess comprises a pair of spaced annular ribs extending inwardlyfrom the interior wall of the recess.

6. The heel construction of claim 1 wherein the protruding element inthe recess comprises an annular rib extending inwardly from the interiorwall of the recess.

7. The heel construction of claim 1 wherein there is a plurality of pinson each lift member and a fin on each pin, the corresponding recessesbeing in the heel member.

8. The heel construction of claim 7 wherein each pin is provided with apair of diametrically opposed outstanding fins, said fins extending indifferent directions.

9. The heel constructon of claim 7 wherein each pin is provided with apair of diametrically opposed outstanding fins, said fins extending indifferent directions and being located in planes inclined with respectto each other.

10. A heel and a lift therefor, a plurality of pins on the lift, aplurality of corresponding recesses in the heel, the pins being seatedin the recesses,

means mechanically holding each pin in its respective recess, said meanscomprising a longitudinal extending fin of resilient material on eachpin and an annular inwardly directed rib in the recess, said recesshaving a slightly greater cross section than said pin at the sameposition when said lift is secured to said heel, the material of the finbeing deformable so as to pass said rib and then expanding behind therib in a direction toward the bottom of the recess when the lift isseated properly on the heel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 953,099 3/1910 Nash 36-362,734,288 2/1956 Phillips et a1. 2,923,071 2/1960 Whitted 3636 ALFRED R.GUEST, Primary Examiner

